My recent car scam

[ChopsJazz]

While trying to sell my C43 AMG I was the target of the classic car scam:

Hello Ken,

How are you today?
I have spoken to our customer and he has agreed to buy at $28,500.
He is very much interested and has asked me to inform you that
payment will get to you in a cashier check of $36,800 which is a refund payment of a cancelled order earlier made by him.
Due to company policy this check has to be made out in this amount to you
,because company policy only allows a refund payment on one cashier check,so
you are required to deduct cost of $28,500 when payment gets to you and refund the balance to his shippers via western union money transfer for him to be able arrange for the pickup and to offset shipping charges.
After payment has reached you and balance sent back to him,our agent will come pick up the C43 AMG and move to the shippers to be shipped to our customer.

Confirm this and provide name,address and phone number for the check payment to be delivered to you via fedex courier.
Please acknowledge the offer so that we can instruct the buyer to make payment immediately.
We will arrange a pick up of the car , once payment is confirmed by you .

Treat as urgent.

Regards,
K.Mike.

I love this guy! After this email I informed him that I wasn't happy with the payment arrangement and said I would rather continue our discussions over the phone. Never heard from him again...

Seller beware!

 

[Hondafly]

sounds like Nigerian scam

 

[comquat1]

I had this a couple times with a Jet Ski I was selling this spring. Some dude out of Europe! He was talking about sending me a huge ammount on the check, way more than I was asking, and having me do all sorts of crazy things. It was amusing, I tried yanking him around a bit, but I never heard back as well...

 

[4AU4LIFE]

Glad you didn't take bait.

 

[Shotkaller]

same thing is happening to me now

Some guy from Europe who has worse English than a kindergartener keeps emailing me telling me he has a client in the US who is interested in my car. He tells me he will pay me $35,000 plus $10,000 for shipping and that I need to refund the difference to him. He's been telling me for three weeks now that the check is in the mail. I did give him my address. Ihave emailed him twice asking where is the money and he always tells me that his client had urgent business trip and that check will come soon. I really doubt that all this is legit, but I can't seem to figure out what the purpose of it is. He has not asked me for any info except address. The only thing I can think of is he wants my address to steal my car, but other then that I dont know what this guy is after?

Todd

 

[nsx1]

?

I’m naive in this one... what’s the scam?

 

[nsxtasy]

Re: ?

I’m naive in this one... what’s the scam?

As I understand it, they are using convoluted logic to get the seller to send them money. Obviously, if you are a seller, there is no reason to send anyone any money.

But I'm sure there are people out there who get scammed this way. It takes a combination of greed and stupidity - not too hard to find...

 

[ChopsJazz]

Re: ?

I’m naive in this one... what’s the scam?

The scam is that you will send cash back to the buyer after they send you a (fraudulent) check for more than the selling amount of the item. The reasons for the overage will vary, but the gist of the scam is that outwardly it appears that the buyer is generous and wel intentioned.

 

[matteni]

A friend locally WAS given a Cashier's Check for 2,000 over the cost of the car. Said it was his wife's fault and an honest mistake. The guy gave him the car, title, and $2000 in cash only to find out 10 days later the check was forged!!!

Beware - even if they do show up and it does appear to be a cashier's check - it might be a very good looking fake and you will be out the car and the cash!

My advice - wire transfer! Works every time, no way to scam, and well worth the extra 10 bucks IMO.

 

[Tuan Le]

Re: Re: ?

But I'm sure there are people out there who get scammed this way. It takes a combination of greed and stupidity - not too hard to find...

That is very true, unfortunately.

 

[tararan]

is there a way of busting these guys?

 

[ChopsJazz]

is there a way of busting these guys?

From reading the results of this thread it appears that there is not!

 

[Wisky]

is there a way of busting these guys?

Its ashame, but no. The right people (FBI, etc) can find out who it is and track them down, but they simply dont care and wont go through the trouble.

 

[BostonNSX]

I have the same kinda email when I was selling my rare French wooden flute.. is this some sort of mass generated email by some server or?

 

[liftcontrol]

I replied to such an email, that I had figured out his address and that he was....

going to get the money hand delivered to him by my good friend by the name of FBI. I wonder if he moved or at least was worried for a few days/weeks.

 

[Joel]

I would think that if someone sent me a check in the mail in an amount over the asking price, I would send it back. Let them correct their mistake.

 

[4AU4LIFE]

I would think that if someone sent me a check in the mail in an amount over the asking price, I would send it back. Let them correct their mistake.

Very logical and safe thing to do.

 

[old_S13]

It would be funny to send HIM a check from a bunk bank account, bounce a check on him, and then try to scam the scammer.. hehe that would be wrong but rightfully deserved.

 

[Ben]

While no doubt a scam, can't you protect yourself by waiting for the check to clear the account before you send any money or title/car?

If the buyer won't agree to that, then you know something is up.

 

[ChopsJazz]

Ben, it would be interesting to wait, and then send a phony check like old_S13 suggested! In fact, I have since had two more offers, both with the same scam. One even used the "classic" ship the car to Africa theme. It looks like I'm just a target for these emails ever since I registered on this site.

What a huge pain in the butt!

 

[nsxtasy]

What a huge pain in the butt!

Why? There's no need to bother spending time replying; you can just delete the e-mails, no? It's like any other kind of spam. Only in this case, it's scam spam.

 

[ChopsJazz]

The pain lies in the first two emails that bait you into thinking that there is a legitimate proposal being offered. Now my email is jammed with scam spam!

 

[flaminio]

Snopes is on it.

Snopes is on it. Clever scam. If it happened to me, I think my baloney detector would be in the red, but I can see how someone could get easily duped. Glad you didn't, Ken.

 

[Hondafly]

similar SCAM

My friend listed his motorcycle for sale and was approached by a man who wanted to buy the bike. this person claimed he was a motorcycle collector from S. Africa and he would have someone from the US send a check to my friend for the price of the bike PLUS an additional $3000.
This $3000. difference was to be wired immediately to him in S. Africa. My friend did this and has never heard from the guy since. The check he got was reported as FAKE check so the $3000. is gone forever.
Please use caution if someone approaches you with a similar offer.

 

[I Grok NSX]

is there a way of busting these guys?

I hope...because there's always room for one more